My Personal Tower of Fame
Making America Safe For Democracy29 total reviews
Comment from Theodore McDowell
Well done. A story of teenage angst and dreams and trying to make sense of a world in danger of radically changing. Everything was on the line, but for the teenager it boiled down to a girl and love.
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2021
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Well done. A story of teenage angst and dreams and trying to make sense of a world in danger of radically changing. Everything was on the line, but for the teenager it boiled down to a girl and love.
Comment Written 04-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2021
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LOL, there was no love, Tim. You have to read the dedication as the DJ delivered it over the radio (which means it has to be read aloud, LOL, like good poetry) "iF... yoU... see... Kay," (get it?) "tell her I love her". The second part wouldn't even be needed, if the first part didn't begin with the word "If". The reason I say it needs to be read aloud, is the same reason that a hundred listeners called in their complaints ... and the DJ called and gave me an ass-chewin'.
So, rather than love, it was mischievousness and immaturity, and fun.
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Lol. oh well. I missed that one.
Comment from country ranch writer
Cute flash fiction with great picture to go along with its and an old witty saying my husband used to be quite saying.He had quiet a few saying "ike the STOP sign. Skip town Opalis pregnant. STP. Spin tires on pavement.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Cute flash fiction with great picture to go along with its and an old witty saying my husband used to be quite saying.He had quiet a few saying "ike the STOP sign. Skip town Opalis pregnant. STP. Spin tires on pavement.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Good, you caught the caught the hidden "F" word? That makes 3 out of 25 who got it. Afraid I confused it with the patriotism and perhaps baseball. You are so kind, BJ to read it and give me the shiny stars!
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Correction ... 3 out of 18 got it. I confused it with my play.
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👀👀👀👀🐎🐎🐎🐎
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🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🎃🎃🎃
Comment from GregoryCody
Okay. Man. You address so talented. (I'm still cringing about my farting dog story that was Not Blind) hahaha.
Okay. This reads like a stream of thought or free word association style of writing. I don't know the right terms but it is a compliment as I enjoy that style quite a bit!
This is GREAT. I mean you have No Idea how long I've been reading this. I've read it a dozen times now. I love it. The way you phrase things. It's like I'm there and I "hear" EVERYTHING that is happening. Wow. I love that.
And okay. Tell me about the dedication. The first part sounds like you are spelling the F word. Am I crazy??
Seriously I've read this now a dozen more times.
Haha.
AMAZING PIECE AND A WELL DESERVED AND HOPEFUL WIN!
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Okay. Man. You address so talented. (I'm still cringing about my farting dog story that was Not Blind) hahaha.
Okay. This reads like a stream of thought or free word association style of writing. I don't know the right terms but it is a compliment as I enjoy that style quite a bit!
This is GREAT. I mean you have No Idea how long I've been reading this. I've read it a dozen times now. I love it. The way you phrase things. It's like I'm there and I "hear" EVERYTHING that is happening. Wow. I love that.
And okay. Tell me about the dedication. The first part sounds like you are spelling the F word. Am I crazy??
Seriously I've read this now a dozen more times.
Haha.
AMAZING PIECE AND A WELL DESERVED AND HOPEFUL WIN!
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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no, no, no! You are exactly right, and only the second person to get the puerile 15 year old's prank. As it happened, the DJ read it out and once he heard it, too late, of course to retract it, he could do nothing but wait for the calls, which he got by the dozens. This WAS the 50s. He called me back and chewed me out royally! But some of my friends heard it, too. So it was worth it!
Thanks for reading, Gregory. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA.
THAT. IS. AMAZING.
Comment from Spitfire
Is this by any chance the woman you married? Clever clues in the opening as to your age: imagining yourself playing baseball and being a hero. Not sure how you could phone in a request on the tower. They didn't have cellphones in 1954.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Is this by any chance the woman you married? Clever clues in the opening as to your age: imagining yourself playing baseball and being a hero. Not sure how you could phone in a request on the tower. They didn't have cellphones in 1954.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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But they did have phones in the towers. That was how we called the authorities if we saw anything suspicious. No, Kay was not the woman I married. That was only a joke. The iF yoU see Kay, when spoken by the DJ (and listened to on the radio, spelled (FyouCK). The station was bombarded by complaints and the DJ called and chewed me out.
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Very funny, Jay. :-)
Comment from royowen
I can see that you hide treasure in your writing, much like hiding Easter eggs in the garden for the kids to find, not that you don't want them to fine them, but you've earned your gold nugget, well done Jay, good luck, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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I can see that you hide treasure in your writing, much like hiding Easter eggs in the garden for the kids to find, not that you don't want them to fine them, but you've earned your gold nugget, well done Jay, good luck, blessings Roy
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Thank you, Roy. I had some fun remembering.
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Well done
Comment from Pam (respa)
-I read all of the reviews, Jay,
so I will give it a go.
-I think I was supposed to
repeat the descriptive phrase,
"Making America Safe for Democracy."
-I saw a resemblance to the
former president's slogan, which
will go unsaid!
-I was 4 in 1954. I liked your opening
and the comparison to baseball, the
favorite sport of our family.
-In the game you describe, there
isn't much of a chance to do anything;
it is all up to the one person at the plate,
or in this case, going up the tower.
-Also, the radio was probably going to
be going off the air shortly, as they
did in those days.
-You imagine what America is
saying, and as the crowd would
at a baseball game, they are
your motivation, "Go, Go!"
-Since you are looking up at
the sky, and you are smiling
and waiting, I'd say you are
there to receive a call from Kay
because maybe you didn't
have a phone.
-I can't wait for your reply to
see if I got any of this right!!!
-Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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-I read all of the reviews, Jay,
so I will give it a go.
-I think I was supposed to
repeat the descriptive phrase,
"Making America Safe for Democracy."
-I saw a resemblance to the
former president's slogan, which
will go unsaid!
-I was 4 in 1954. I liked your opening
and the comparison to baseball, the
favorite sport of our family.
-In the game you describe, there
isn't much of a chance to do anything;
it is all up to the one person at the plate,
or in this case, going up the tower.
-Also, the radio was probably going to
be going off the air shortly, as they
did in those days.
-You imagine what America is
saying, and as the crowd would
at a baseball game, they are
your motivation, "Go, Go!"
-Since you are looking up at
the sky, and you are smiling
and waiting, I'd say you are
there to receive a call from Kay
because maybe you didn't
have a phone.
-I can't wait for your reply to
see if I got any of this right!!!
-Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Well ... Pam ... I won't make you wait too long. No, the phrase making America safe for democracy really had nothing to do with it. I was referring to the quoted part, the request-line dedication he made to Kay. Apparently it was too vague. But if you say it out loud, word-by-word ("If ... you ... see... kay..."), again and again, listening to the sound of what you are saying, you may get the idea how naughty and immature was the 15-year-old Jay.
You aren't the first reader not to get it. That night, though, the disc-jockey got it as soon as it went out to the world, many listeners got it, and called in their complaints (this WAS the 50s) to the station, causing the DJ to call me back and chew me out. And that's all I'll say about that, Pam.
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Thanks for sharing, Jay. The confusion was the line. Usually the dedication line is the one above whatever you post; then there's the descriptive phrase. I think were all thinking that was the radio station and that was all. A good job faking us out!!
I had fun with the story, though.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
This is quite a bit different from your usual fare, but is well-written. I was only 8 in 1954 and keep thinking I should understand your story better. Was this the Commy threat and fear of the atomic bomb? He doesn't sound like he thinks he will survive. The dedication sounds familiar but can't place it.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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This is quite a bit different from your usual fare, but is well-written. I was only 8 in 1954 and keep thinking I should understand your story better. Was this the Commy threat and fear of the atomic bomb? He doesn't sound like he thinks he will survive. The dedication sounds familiar but can't place it.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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I'll send you the answer I gave PAM:
"I was referring to the quoted part, the request-line dedication he made to Kay. Apparently, it was too vague. But if you say it out loud, word-by-word ("If ... you ... see... kay..."), again and again, listening to the sound of what you are saying, you may get the idea how naughty and immature was the 15-year-old Jay.
"You aren't the first reader not to get it. That night, though, the disc-jockey got it as soon as it went out to the world, many listeners got it, and called in their complaints (this WAS the 50s) to the station, causing the DJ to call me back and chew me out. And that's all I'll say about that.
Hope that helps, Carol.
Thanks so much for reading.
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I am so slow! Something like that happened and my favorite dj in Chicago was off the station in '61 or '62. I was so sad until a friend explained it to me.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I'm sorry, Jay. I've read this three times and I simply don't get it. I know it's probably me. Maybe my brain forgot to show up today. LOL I'm sure I'm the only person. Good luck.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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I'm sorry, Jay. I've read this three times and I simply don't get it. I know it's probably me. Maybe my brain forgot to show up today. LOL I'm sure I'm the only person. Good luck.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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No, no! You're not alone. The only thing I can suggest is that you read the dedication ALOUD, slowly, with imagination, and listening to the sound of the words. If you can't make anything from his words, you won't discover how mischievous and immature 15-year-old Jay was back then.
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I did read it aloud each time I read, and even read those words by themselves a few times. I figured they were the key.
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Yeah, it's a common four-letter word boys often use to sound tough!
iF yoU see Kay ... but now I've taken it too far. LOL
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sorry, it's not a word I use.
Comment from Susan Newell
Jay,
It would seem that 15-year-old boys have much in common with sports fans. Quite a set-up of a distraction story for the punchline. Since it was 1954 and we weren't worried about a Japanese invasion, I assume you were watching for forest fires. Thanks for the chuckle, it reminded me of
American Graffiti.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Jay,
It would seem that 15-year-old boys have much in common with sports fans. Quite a set-up of a distraction story for the punchline. Since it was 1954 and we weren't worried about a Japanese invasion, I assume you were watching for forest fires. Thanks for the chuckle, it reminded me of
American Graffiti.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Many heartfelt thanks for reading this. Make no doubt about it, though, the threat was still very real with the Russian involvement with the Korean War and the fear that our shoreline could be breached. Those towers were all across America with a double purpose: to look for foreign airplanes and for flying saucers.
But I was only 15 years old I was more interested in using the radio request line to get my message out (which, unfortunately, the readers were not reading word for word, slowly, and aloud as though they heard it on the radio request line: (You might have to say it a few times before the sounds will start falling into place): "If... you... see... kay" ... again, "If... you... see... Kay ... tell her I love her." Get it? The DJ got it as soon as it aired. The listeners of the program got it! Many called back their complaints. Afterwards the DJ called me back and chewed me out. It does sound a little like American Graffiti, doesn't it?
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I got the joke, Jay. When I mentioned sports fans, I was referring to the stadium chant that has been supplanted with, "Let's go Brandon." The American Graffiti comment was in reference to when the kids had someone paged over the drive-in PA system. I can't remember the name, but it was akin to Seymour Butts, only worse.
Comment from Judy Lawless
Well done, Jay. I have to admit that the meaning went over my head, until I read another review. Now it all makes sense. It's a great bit of flash non-fiction. Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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Well done, Jay. I have to admit that the meaning went over my head, until I read another review. Now it all makes sense. It's a great bit of flash non-fiction. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2021
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2021
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I saw, only after I wrote a huge response to your other review, that I may have wasted my time. Sorry about that.
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Not sure what other review you are referring to, Jay, or why you feel your response was a waste of time.
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Oh, my goodness, Judy. What did I say this time? I never think a review is a waste of time, or an answer to one. I love my readers. If anything I said struck a sour note, please, it wasn't intentional. I am so sorry!
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It?s ok, Jay. I?m not offended, just confused. Lol Don?t worry about it. Maybe you got my review twice? I?ve had that happen.
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Phew! Good. I really was worried! I feel better now.